


Before

by moonlight08



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Established Relationship, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-12
Updated: 2014-01-12
Packaged: 2018-01-08 13:09:56
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,874
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1133037
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moonlight08/pseuds/moonlight08
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What if Sherlock had met John before the beginning of the series?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Before

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own Sherlock, sadly. But I love everything about it.
> 
> Not a native English speaker. Sorry for any mistakes you can find. And they're probably a lot.

**January 2010**

“Wrong!” shouts the detective. “How could you get that wrong? It should be obvious even to your tiny brains. It was the son. Just look at the state of that chair!” He points to his right, where the aforementioned piece of furniture lies.

“The chair seems fine to me.” And it does. Not a single scratch, as far as I can see.

“Exactly.” Sherlock says, like that clears everything up. Yeah, right.

Something in my face must show my puzzlement, because he starts explaining his deductive process, while insulting everyone’s intelligence. Nothing new there.

“… that even a monkey could have seen. Unfortunately, you got Anderson instead.”

“Oi, you freak! What do you think—“

“Enough! Both of you. God, I’m working with children.” I can practically feel Sherlock’s glare. I ignore it. “Now, Donovan. Let’s find the son’s address, so we can—“ the tall bastard doesn't even let me finish the sentence.

“He won’t be there. He’s not stupid, which is more than I can say of the rest of you.” Sally looks like she’s about to protest, but Sherlock isn’t finished. “But where…?” He glances around the room, as if it might give him the answer. Apparently, it does, because his eyes light up. “Oh. Oh! He’s clever.” He turns and looks at me. “This case might actually be interesting, Lestrade.”

“I told you it was.”

“You think everything is interesting, and you highlighted all the wrong…” His mobile starts ringing. Sherlock pauses, looks at the screen, frowns and ignores it.”… facts. If you had taken the time to actually observe, you would have noticed that…” His mobile goes off for the second time. He frowns again, but picks it up. “What do you want, Mycroft?”

There's a brief pause as Sherlock listens to whatever the caller has to say. Then he freezes. It’s the first time I see Sherlock look anything other than composed, angry or high. It takes me a moment to recognize the feeling clearly on display in his eyes.

“Sherlock?” I ask as he hangs up, eyes unfocused. “Sherlock?” It’s when I try to touch his arm that he finally reacts.

His expression closes up with alarming speed. No trace of emotion to be seen.

“Yes, of course. Search for the missing daughter. Now, I hope even your inferior intellect can solve this case. I have far more important things to do than help you do your job.”

Somehow I forget to be offended as he turns around and leaves the crime scene, because he might say he’s alright, but nothing could make me forget the spark of fear that had been lurking in his eyes just moments ago.

SHJWSHJW

**January 2003**

“999, what’s the emergency?”

“Hello, this is Dr. Watson. There’s an unconscious man in Baker Street. He is still breathing, but I believe he’s overdosed. We need an ambulance sent here. There’s not much I can do for him right now.”

****

“Do you know who this man is?”

“I’m afraid not. I found him when I was walking back from a pub.”

****

 “Dr. Watson?”

“Yes?”

“Our patient is stable. He’ll be fine. We just need to keep monitoring his vitals for a few hours. However, he’s still unconscious and the paramedics couldn’t find an ID on him. We don’t know his name yet.”

“Right.”

“Smile, doctor. You saved a life today.”

****

“What on Earth do you think you’re doing? I know for a fact that you’re not supposed to be out of your hospital bed.”

“Dull.”

“Dull?”

“Yes. Boring.”

“Boring? You almost die and the only thing you can think of saying is ‘boring’?”.

“Yes.”

“Right. You’re going back to bed. I don’t care if I have to drag you.”

****

“Afghanistan or Iraq?”

“Afghanistan. How did you know?”

****

“That was incredible.”

“You think so?”

“Of course. It was extraordinary. Quite extraordinary.”

****

“Why did you stay, John?”

“I… I'm not sure.”

****

“I’m sorry to interrupt, Mr. Holmes. But your brother is here.”

“How tiresome.”

“ _Sherlock_ , he’s your brother. I’m sure he’s worried.”

“I don’t care, John.”

****

“Hello, dear brother. I see you have company.”

****

“You’re very loyal very quickly.”

****

“Sherlock, you do realize you can’t continue. This has to stop.”

“Don’t be dull. You’re not usually dull.”

“Look, I realize I’ve only known you for about… two days now. And at least twenty four of those hours were spent in a hospital. But here’s the thing… I think you’re brilliant. And I’ve grown sort of fond of you. And... oh God, I sound ridiculous, don’t I? What I’m trying to say—“

“I know.”

“Right. _Right_. Anyway, as I was saying, you’re probably the smartest person I have ever met. Scratch that. You _are_ the smartest person I have ever met. And I think you should treat that brain of yours better. So I’m asking you to stop.”

“…”

“Sherlock? Look, I’m sorry if I was out of line. You probably still think of me as a stranger and I have no right to—“

“I'll do it.”

****

“When do you fly back to Afghanistan?”

“In a week.”

“…”

“I know.”

****

“I don’t need you. I barely know you. Why would you think, even for one second, that you are important to me?”

“I’ll miss you, too, you git.”

****

“I’m sorry.”

“I know.”

SHJWSHJW

**February 2010**

Sherlock disappears for an entire month, and I start to worry. The detective isn’t even answering my texts, which is unusual. Not even a 'piss off' to get me to stop texting.

Could he have relapsed? It seems unlikely. He’s been clean for seven years now, if I’m not mistaken. But these things can happen, right?

Perhaps I should visit Baker Street.

I grab my keys and log out of my computer. It’s a slow day at work. I might as well do it now.

****

Sherlock is as welcoming as he usually is.

“Piss off." Ah, there's the rebuttal I expected. "I have not answered your texts because I have been otherwise occupied.”

He was in his pyjamas. “Clearly.”

But he seems fine, and I have no desire to start a fight, so I decide to leave him be. At least for the time being.

“I’ll be going then.”

SHJWSHJW

**June 2003**

“Oh, my God. You’re insane. What is wrong with your head? You’re a psychopath, aren’t you? You’re a freak.”

“Sally…”

“No, Lestrade. I have no idea why you let him come to crime scenes. He probably took part in some of the murders he’s ‘helped’ you solve…”

“I’d never commit a crime that tedious.”

“I’m serious, there’s something very wrong with you. With your head. It's repulsive really. That's probably why you are always alone. I mean, who could want you?”

“I am not alone.”

****

_Sherlock,_

_Would it be weird if I told you I miss you? It probably is, isn’t it? Well, fuck it. I miss you. I do. You’re a mad wanker and I’ve only spent a week with you, but I’d like to think of us as friends._

_Are we?_

_Anyway, I hope these past months haven’t been too tough on you. And that you’ve kept your word._

_Somehow, I’m positive that you did. And that makes me feel oddly proud._

_You probably think I’m insane. Maybe I am._

_We match then._

_SHJWSHJW_

**March 2010**

When Sherlock returns, it’s with a man on tow. He’s blonde, stocky and short, probably a few years older than the detective, and he has a limp.

I hear Sally greet them. Well, when I say 'greet'...

“Oi, freak. Who’s that? You can’t just bring people to a crime scene.”

The blonde man just sighs and turns to look at the detective. “I told you this would happen. Go ahead, I’ll wait for you right here.” He says, offering him a soft smile. Huh, that’s strange.

“Don’t be ridiculous. You are coming with me.” He’s obviously not giving up. He lifts the tape so the other man could fit underneath it, and then glares at him until he sighs and limps his way through.

“Wait a second.” Donovan warns them. “We don’t know who he is. You can’t just let him in!” She blocks their path, frown on her face.  

“Very well, if we must.” Sherlock rolls his eyes. “This is Dr. John Watson. John, Donovan.”

“Doctor? You’re a doctor? What the hell are you doing with the freak here? Let me tell you something, he’s a psychopath, so I suggest you turn your back and walk away while you can.”

The detective’s expression is one of disgust. It’s probably time I intervene. But I’m surprised when it’s actually Watson who answers, with a deadly serious look on his face.

“I don’t need you to tell me what he’s like, ta very much. And I’d appreciate if you refrained from insulting my husband in front of me.”

Wait, _what_?

SHJWSHJW

**February 2004**

“You’re back.”

“I’m back.”

****

“Oh, for God’s sake, Sherlock! You need to sleep. You are not a robot. You’re human, as much as you’d like to think otherwise.”

“I don’t want to sleep.”

“What are you, three years old? You’re going to bed. I don’t care if I have to drag you. I've done it once, and I'll do it again.”

****

“Stay here.”

“What?”

“Stay here, in Baker Street.”

“…”

“It’s much more practical. You wouldn't have to worry about accomodations everytime you come back from a tour of duty. We both know how much you hate staying at your sister's, even if it's just for a few days. It's frankly ridiculous, when you spend almost the entire day with—“

“Yes.”

“Yes?”

“ _Yes_.”

****

“Time flies by, doesn’t it?”

“Time doesn’t fly, John.”

“I didn't mean it literally, as you very well know. Wanker.”

“Idiot.”

****

“Look, Sherlock. I’m leaving tomorrow. And there’s something I need to tell you.”

“I already know.”

“No, I don’t think you do.”

“Yes, I do.”

“No, you don’t.”

“I love you, too.”

****

“I’ll be back soon.”

“I know.”

“And I’ll write to you. Maybe I’ll be able to call every once in a while.”

“I know.”

“We can make this work.”

“I know.”

“I love you.”

“I know.”

SHJWSHJW

**June 2010**

Sherlock and John (minus the cane, where did that go?) have become a crime-solving unit ever since that day. And I’m surprised to find the doctor is a fairly normal man, who likes to go for pints and watching football on the telly.

Somehow he adores Sherlock. And Sherlock adores him right back.

It’s funny how none of us ‘normal’ people seem to be able to hold onto a relationship, and the detective is happily married to an army doctor.

Guess the joke’s on us.

I’ll admit to myself, even if to no one else, that I’m jealous of Sherlock. I’ve never had someone look at me the way John looks at him, like he’s his whole world. Like he’s his whole world and he couldn’t imagine it ever being any other way. Even when they bicker and fight, there’s a light that never quite leaves his eyes.

Most surprising thing of all, though, is that when Sherlock looks back, his eyes shine just as brightly.

SHJWSHJW

**January 2007**

“Sherlock, I know we haven't discussed this, we spend many months apart, but I have to ask—“

“Marry me.”

“…”

“…”

“ _Yes_.”


End file.
